GCSE "choices"

[becks77]

Rant warning:

My youngest is in the process of making her choices for her GCSE's
The school has a really weird way of doing it. The student must choose from a selection of subjects in different columns to include one of humanity, tech and art subjects.
So she has made her choices (all her own work) and we are all very happy with that, however the school are now pressurising her into taking an MFL aswell, and so dropping one of the chosen subjects. She is good at spanish but is not interested in the slightest and so did not choose spanish. The teachers have taken it upon themselves to keep the students who have not chosen MFL's behind from the class and send them to see the deputy head for "guidance"!!
Surely if it is a choice it is up to the student to choose and not be bullied by the school into a subject they have no interest in.
I have sent an email and letter to the school, awaiting replies

Rant over

Thank you for listening, just wanted to get that off me chest, happy smiley person usually!!

[gregorach]

There is always a choice: "Either you do what we want, or we make your life miserable. It's up to you."

At least they're preparing her for the world...

[crowsashes]

they cant force them... i has been dropped as a compulsory subject.
keep the pressure on with it and if they refuse you can always send your child to another school or even a college ( although i think this is for those who dont do well a school) i had a very similar problem and couldn't study any of what i really wanted to do... because of timetabling and such :/ it was infuriating.

my subjects of choice were art, design tec and history... i couldnt do history because the timetable clashed... stuck with drama instead as i didnt want to do RE!

i had the same problem when choosing alevels - i wanted to science art and graphic design... they suggested i do a GNVQ in art and design because it had 'design elements' in it and drop the science altogether

i gave up went to college did a btec AND alevels at the same time....

[becks77]

Thank you both, it just makes me so cross, "choices " my foot, I will keep on with the letters and emails though, I've threatened them with the goverors and LSC so hopefully they will back off now.
I had a similar situation with her elder sister and we won that one, but you shuldn't have to fight like this really, should we?
Ta Bx

[wulf]

What is an MFL? Modern Foreign Language (I did think of a couple of alternatives but couldn't imagine those being on the curriculum!).

Wulf

[yvette]

Wonder why they are pushing Spanish/modern foreign languages - is there any sort of financial incentive in it? I know my son's primary school started a Latin club because they got money to run it as a pilot project, so just wondered.... And I've got a nasty suspicious mind!

[wulf]

Educationally, I think there is a lot to be said for studying a foreign language for any pupil who has got at least a reasonable grasp on their native tongue. The push may be for solid pedagogical reasons; it sounds like the problem is that they failed to clearly communicate this on the initial options paper.

Wulf

[julie_lanteri]

Usually they push MFL for students who have the ability as it is seen as a harder academic subject and therefore would make it easier for them to get to uni. GCSEs are not all equal (no matter what they say) when it comes to going onto further education: ever heard of mickey mouse subjects? (ducking to avoid stones from said subjects' teachers :p) What I mean is, if you take drama because that's your passion, that's one thing; but taking drama because it's fun and easy along with 3 or 4 other "easy" subjects is not going to help you much to go to Oxbridge! just my two cent...
(and I didn't mention the importance of languages because i'm ever so slightly biased!)

[Mrs Moustoir]

I know what you mean - my niece is making her choices for next year and I've tried to persuade her to carry on with French (again, I'm biased!) . She refuses point-blank as "everyone knows, you have to work in French". Cue: teenage eye roll at aged auntie.

Languages are difficult and do require a lot of studying and - afaik, there isn't so much reliance upon course work.. If a child is able and shows potential, that that might be why the school are trying to persuade them to continue with a language.

* Just noticed this is quite an old thread so the deed may be done and options chosen! Be interested to know the outcome from the OP

[niknik]

wellI guess I´d be classed as biaisewd as well, but I think foreign languages should be pushed more, mind you they need first to give them a good grounding in english. and the grammar!

Spanish and English are the 2 most spoken langages, and Spanish is easier than French or Geman.certainly in the early stages, so pushing Spanish could be because they could get better results.

[pelmetman]

I'm glad I managed to get through school with out an education ..............otherwise I would probably be in some dead end job waiting for my pension now

[becks77]

Thank you for your replies all, Mrs Moustier yes the deed is done and thank fully (for her sake) the school backed down and finally accepted her own choices

[PlainQB]

Mr. QB and I have been talking about GCSE and A-Level choices lately. We were both the first to go though this and the first to go to university. At the time both sets of parents encouraged us to pick subjects we enjoyed and were good at. This worked well, we both got A's went on to good universities, got firsts and then did post graduate degrees. Then we got stuck, we didn't really know what to do after that as you can't keep doing what you enjoy and are good at forever. Now we're both in reasonable jobs and Mr. QB is working in the area for which he was trained but it's a very demanding and low paid job (being a scientist is certianly not easy or glamourous). In contrast are some of our friends who came from families who'd all gone to university and who knew the system from start to finish. Right from chosing their options they had a rough idea what they wanted to do and the path they were going to follow, usually law or fast track civil service though some have gone on to be teachers and doctors. They had an attitude that GCSEs, A-Levels and degrees were a means to an end, a way of securing the affluent lifestyle of their parents. With this approach they've all done well, live in central London and earn lots.

So perhaps when thinking about choices for education, and Mr. QB and I agreed GCSE is the latest you can start doing this, decide if you want education for profit in ten to twenty years time or if you want education for pleasure. Once you've made that choice it's very difficult to change your mind. Sorry to proffer such a downer, but on the bright side, we're both happy with the choices we made. But we will make our kiddies aware that they're chosing their long term future and not just a course for two years.

[Zech]

With this approach they've all done well, live in central London and earn lots.

I'm glad I chose subjects for pleasure. I'd hate to live in central London

Seriously, I'd hate to suggest to any impressionable youngster that that kind of lifestyle was worth aspiring to.

[grahamhobbs]

I know what you mean - my niece is making her choices for next year and I've tried to persuade her to carry on with French (again, I'm biased!) . She refuses point-blank as "everyone knows, you have to work in French". Cue: teenage eye roll at aged auntie.

Languages are difficult and do require a lot of studying and - ....................................OP

Why not just invite her to France for a couple of months, she'll learn more than years of study at school. This was certainly true for me, after five years I literally could not speak a sentence, beyond je m'appelle..., but, twenty odd years later, a couple of weeks living with a french (non-english speaking) family I could converse - well at least after a few verre de rouge - perhaps they should try that at school.